


The Redmond Chronicles

by DisgruntledPelican, NeelyO



Series: Redmond Levy: Very Good Boy [1]
Category: Canadian Actor RPF, Schitt's Creek (TV) RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Domestic Fluff, Furry POV, M/M, Pizza, We get by with a little help, over-sized pockets full of treats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:26:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22329295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisgruntledPelican/pseuds/DisgruntledPelican, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeelyO/pseuds/NeelyO
Summary: Five times Redmond saw the development of Dan and Noah’s relationship. And one time Dan and Noah realized how much Redmond loved them both.
Relationships: Dan Levy/Noah Reid
Series: Redmond Levy: Very Good Boy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761856
Comments: 120
Kudos: 62





	1. Redmond is skeptical of a new friend... Stacey helps

**Author's Note:**

> This is the original brain-child of NeelyO! DisgruntledPelican became obsessed with NeelyO’s Redmond POV paragraph in _A Li’l Slice of Life _… and from there a friendship was formed and this fic happened!__  
>  _  
>  _We have had so much fun writing this and exploring the {fictional} relationship between Dan and Noah as seen through the eyes of Dan’s most loyal and bestest friend.__  
>   
>  _Please note: The rating is T for the final chapter! All other chapters are General Audience._  
> 

There had been an air of excitement in the apartment all day. Dad had been cleaning and straightening and tucking things away. This was all after the scary time over the weekend with the vacuum cleaner; best not to think about that loud, dramatic beast that would eat my toys without a second thought. Good thing Dad was always there to rescue them. The Swiffer was standing in the corner, ready for action. But I could handle _that..._ I’m not scared of a stick and a handkerchief.

I could tell it was going to be a fun night. The fun-drink cart was set, the aroma of those little mini-quiches was filling the air, and Dad had on his orange sweater, which he only broke out when the best people were going to be here. I love his orange sweater, but when people are coming over, he doesn’t like when I add my own orange fur to it. So while we waited, I snuggled up on his jeans--Dad never minded that.

When the doorbell rang, I jumped off the sofa fast as lightning and did my run-in-circles-joyful-bark. Dad was quick to answer and in came the best person next to Dad: Auntie! She dropped immediately to the floor--it had been too long since we’d been able to hang out, so I was ready for the love. Auntie always gave me pets before she gave Dad pets. Dad didn’t like when she gave him pets, though. He always squinched his face and tried to run away. Why would anyone run away from Auntie?

My kiss and wrestle-filled reunion with Auntie was interrupted by Other Red coming in with her amazing smile. She always had the best treats in her pocket, so I had to pull myself away from Auntie to investigate before Dad came back and tried to stop the fun. Before long, Friend Salvatore and Friend Trevor both arrived, followed quickly by Tall Amy. I didn’t get much of a chance to welcome Tall Amy, though, because Julio woofed at me to chase him around the living room and straight into the bedroom and up onto all the pillows and back down again. This was the game we played every time Julio came over and it never got old. 

By the time we were done, the mini-quiches were out of the oven. And it was a well-known fact to me and Julio that Other Red would split one between us when Dad and Friend Trevor were looking the other way.

It looked like tonight’s party was going to be about a movie or show on the big screen. Everyone was getting situated and settled facing that direction. As Dad was getting everything turned on the doorbell rang again, which meant Julio and I both had to jump down and head toward the door. _Wasn’t everyone already here?_

Wait, it was a New Person! New to me, new to Julio. He smelled like fresh air, beer and (shudder) _cats_. Even though Dad only gave him a half-hug-handshake (which I knew meant that Dad only knew New Person maybe _socially_ ), Other Red gave him a big hug and tugged him into the living room. Well, if Other Red liked him that much, that was good enough for me, so I sniffed up one pant leg and down the other. This guy smelled like _three cats_ , actually. I wondered if this was going to be a problem. He gave me some good ear scritches, though, during the pants investigation, and this New Person was nice to Julio, too. So I decided to give this New Friend a chance. I wasn’t about to forget about all those cats, though.

Other Red made sure everyone got arranged so that Dad and New Friend were sitting next to each other. The TV came to life, and I heard some familiar music, followed by Sister Annie’s beautiful face lighting up the screen! I should have realized this fun party was for Dad’s show. If I watched carefully I would get to see Sister Emily up there, too. I took a look over at Dad, leaning in close and talking softly with New Friend; I loved how happy this show was making him, even though his work hours were so long.

The party lasted long after the show ended. I curled up with Julio on the couch, feeling very sleepy as Auntie provided soft ear massages and sing-songy lullabies. 

*****

I woke up to Other Red giving me the best lazy pets. I followed her eyes to see that Dad was walking with New Friend to the door, and everyone else was gone. Other Red’s lazy pets slowed down; her attention stayed on Dad and New Friend, so I kept looking also. _Is she worried about New Friend?_ Together we watched Dad and New Friend, who kept looking at the ground, hands in his very full but treat-less pockets; Dad adjusted his glasses a lot and kept picking at his orange sweater. 

And then so many things happened all at once! Dad leaned in and hugged New Friend; New Friend smiled really big and hugged Dad; Other Red started giving me the really good pets; and she was smiling, too! I just couldn’t believe I almost slept through all of this! I rolled over to show my belly so Other Red could give me pets there. When Dad came back to the living room, he joined Other Red and gave me some of the best pets EVER! 

It _had_ been a fun night--for everyone--just like I thought it would be. 

  
  



	2. Dan is writing Grad Night... Noah helps.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Redmond knows that his Dad is struggling with something on the computer, but he isn't sure who his Dad has called to come over that evening to help them out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, DP here!
> 
> I want to take this opportunity to profusely thank NeelyO for inviting me into this wonderful world that is Redmond's POV! It has been a JOY to dive into the mind of that furry prince... and I've gained a wonderful friend along the way!! So, thank you NeelyO for trusting me with being your writing partner, I have loved every second of it!!

********************

Today had the makings of the BEST DAY EVER! Dad took me on four walks outside, FOUR! I cannot believe I got to see Gizmo and Penny and Dexter and those birds and the squirrels and all those people FOUR times today. It was weird though, because Dad just didn’t seem to be enjoying the day like I was. 

The first walk was normal. Dad mumbled some random words when he was walking towards the door and then he FINALLY said one of them to me, … _”walk?”_ I made sure he knew how excited I was by doing my run-in-circles-joyful-bark! He put on his Safety Scarf to keep his neck safe from the wind and leaves and then he put my Safety Scarf on to keep me safe from passing cars and other humans. When he leaned down to get my Scarf secured, I was FINALLY able to give him his pre-walk kisses!

Throughout the day, after that first walk, he mumbled “walk” three more times. Each time I did my run-in-circles-joyful-bark and gave pre-walk kisses, but… Dad just didn’t seem like he was enjoying himself the same way he usually did. He was walking really slowly, he wasn’t interested in any of the squirrels I pointed out to him, and after the last walk he forgot to give me my post-walk treat. _He never does that!_

In between our walks Dad sat at his desk all day. Usually he would get up and come to the couch and give me pets, and then go back to his desk. But today he just sat there the _entire day_. And he kept making grunting noises and pressing buttons on his computer really hard. Dad did not like what was happening on his computer.

On our last walk, Dad took out his phone, stared at the screen for a little bit, and then made a call. I’m not sure who he called, but he seemed to perk up a little bit when he started talking to them. He started walking a little faster, I saw him smile a little bit, and then, _AND THEN_ , right before we came back inside I saw a squirrel and he was so excited when I alerted him to it! We even stayed outside for a few extra minutes to keep our eyes on the squirrel. 

Once we were inside after monitoring the squirrel, Dad got out the really soft blankets and started lighting all those little fires in the house. That meant we had company coming over! _I bet the person on the phone was coming over to see the squirrel._ I wondered who it could be?! At first I thought maybe it was Auntie or Other Red, or maybe even Sister Emily or Sister Annie. 

But then Dad changed his clothes, and I was really not sure who would be coming over. Dad didn’t usually change his clothes in the middle of the day. Then, Dad sprayed the flower-water into all the rooms, he fluffed the pillows twice, and started the biggest fire in the fireplace. Oh boy, I realized this person coming over must be really important to Dad!

Finally, Dad and I heard it… the knock at the door. I wanted to do my run-in-circles-joyful-bark, but I was a little nervous since I didn’t know who it was! I followed Dad to the door, we both took a deep breath, and then I saw him… Three Cats Friend was back! Dad seemed so excited to see him. They hugged immediately! Dad backed away looking a little awkward. And then Three Cats Friend bent down and gave me some really good pets. He started behind the ears, moved his way to the tip of my nose, and when I rolled over he kept giving the good pets on my belly!

Eventually, me and Three Cats Friend realized that Dad had moved into the living room, so we joined him. I ran in the room to get close to Dad. We all sat down on the couch together. I had to wiggle around a little so that I was between Dad and Three Cats Friend... _optimal seating for extra pets._

Dad and Three Cats Friend talked and talked and talked. There were a lot of laughs in the beginning. It was nice to hear Dad laugh. Three Cats Friend had a great laugh, too! You could see his entire neck when he laughed! Both of them kept a hand on me the whole time, alternating between lazy pets and even-lazier pets… it was glorious. This was much better than those last few boring walks Dad had taken me on. 

Laying on the couch between Dad and Three Cats Friend, I kept getting whiffs of those dreadful cats in between smells of the outdoors and beer. But there was something else I kept getting a whiff of. I couldn’t quite put my paw or my nose on what the smell was. It was definitely better than those cats, and each time I smelled it I got more and more curious and excited. 

The laughs eventually slowed down a little bit. Three Cats Friend took his hand away from my ears and moved it to Dad’s shoulder, and he rested it there for a moment. After another deep breath, Dad brought over the computer he had been looking at all day in between all those walks. He gave it to Three Cats Friend. 

Three Cats Friend looked at the computer for a little bit while Dad paced behind the couch. I didn’t know who to watch. Three Cats Friend was looking at the computer that made Dad sad all day, but then Dad was pacing and maybe he needed me? It was a _struggle_. 

Three Cats Friend eventually told Dad to come sit down, _thank goodness._ Three Cats Friend put his hands back on Dad’s shoulders, using both hands this time (leaving none for pets, but that was okay). Then, he smiled really big and used a very chipper voice to say something to Dad. Three Cats Friend must have liked whatever he saw on that screen. With both hands on Dad’s shoulders and that up-beat voice coming from Three Cats Friend, Dad’s face turned a little pink on his cheeks, and his mouth went to the side like it did sometimes. Dad was happy. He was _finally_ happy. 

Three Cats Friend helped make Dad happy! 

After what sounded like some stern words and gentle pats on the couch from Three Cats Friend, Dad smiled (the words must not have been that bad), put the computer away, and the rest of the evening was spent together on the couch getting more lazy pets. Three Cats Friend and Dad watched a movie, I laid between them and snuggled up close to Dad. Even though he was much happier, I knew he’d had a bad day and I wanted to be close to him. I think Three Cats Friend wanted to be close to him, too. He kept scooting closer and closer to us. Which was actually really great because I kept smelling something wonderful, and I finally realized it was coming from his weirdly deep pockets. 

Right before Three Cats Friend left, Dad got up to use the bathroom. Me and Three Cats Friend were in the living room alone for the first time. I thought that it might be awkward, kind of like the first time he and Dad hugged, but it wasn’t. As soon as Dad closed the door, Three Cats Friend reached deep into his pockets and pulled out the most incredible of all treats--A BULLY STICK! _That is what I was smelling all day!_

That really did turn out to be the BEST DAY EVER.


	3. Dan and Noah are rehearsing the BBQ… Redmond helps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playing with favorite toys and lots of pets always helps.

There was no getting away from the smell of pizza. And cats.  _ All three of those cats _ . Friend Noah was once again here at our apartment, pacing around with Dad, shuffling through papers I knew to be scripts, and stopping often to swig beer straight from the bottle. Dad never drank straight from the bottle. He always poured his fun-drinks into cups. But there seemed to be a lot of things Friend Noah did differently than Dad did. It made Dad laugh, which made my tail wag.

The good news was the smell of the Bully Sticks he now carried all the time in those deeper-than-expected pockets went a long way to counteract the scent of said cats.  _ Three cats!  _ And I guess there really wasn’t any bad news; Friend Noah gave such good pets, and he was getting better and better with each visit. Soon he might even rival Other Red with both his happy-to-see me pets and his lazy pets (but I would  _ never tell her that _ ).

The first part of the afternoon had been fun. Even with all the papers and the talking and the pacing. It was mostly Friend Noah doing the pacing--I could sense that he was nervous for some reason. Sometimes Dad would pull him back down to the couch. In between his pacing and his sitting, there had still been plenty of time for Friend Noah to throw my giant hedgehog until I was panting. That was followed by a very good belly rub, cut off only when Dad physically removed Friend Noah’s hands from me ( _ rude _ ) and made him come back over to the couch to sit close together and read from the scripts.

I put my head between my paws and kept an eye on them. I might have dozed off just a little--I had lost count of how many times Friend Noah had thrown Hedgie and maybe it was more than I realized? 

*****

When I opened my eyes, I got a strong whiff of sadness in the air. Was Dad sad? Was Friend Noah sad? What had happened? Surely I hadn’t been asleep that long? What if I needed to help? 

Due to the urgency I did a shortened version of my wake-up stretch ( _ wake-up stretches are very important _ ). First I uncurled myself and untucked my nose from my front paws. Then I stood up slowly and positioned myself with my front paws forward so I could arch my back. Dad always called this stretch “Downward-Facing Dog” when we did exercises in the living room with the lady on the video. I just called it “stretching.”

I could see that Dad and Friend Noah were very deep in conversation, still sitting close together. Dad’s face was wet, and Friend Noah’s was, too. This would not do. I recognized that wetness as being tears, which matched up with the sadness I could smell. I had to take care of that right away!

I trotted across the room from my warm spot, pushed in between the sofa and the coffee table, and squished my front legs in between them on the sofa. I nosed in under Dad’s arm where he had his hand on Friend Noah’s arm. I noticed that Dad and Friend Noah had tangled their arms together--I couldn’t tell the difference between where Dad’s arms were and Friend Noah’s were. But I could tell they both needed me. 

After a couple of nose-pushes, Friend Noah untangled his arms from Dad’s with a wet laugh and started petting my head. While Friend Noah leaned back against the cushions, Dad started petting his leg. Dad and I were working together to comfort Friend Noah!

Friend Noah laughed--it still sounded wet--and they were both laughing as I jumped up between them, wiggling my behind in the way I knew made everyone call me “Clown Red.”

They both got up and stretched ( _ very important! _ ), wiped their eyes, and started gathering papers. It sounded like they were making plans for the next day, and I hoped that didn’t include more being sad. But even if it did, Dad and I would be there to make everything okay for Friend Noah. 

I had been getting to know Friend Noah better as I spent more time with him on set and here at our house, and I liked him a lot. I wanted to do something else to cheer him up. He seemed to like playing with my toys, so I went to grab my very favorite, my Narwhal (I’ve never told Hedgie that he’s actually my second favorite), so I could share it with him before he had to leave. My Narwhal always made me feel better, so I was sure it would make Friend Noah feel better, too.

After a rousing round of Chase-the-Narwahl, Friend Noah grabbed his coat and started heading for the door. Dad and I trailed behind, and when we reached it, Dad stopped Friend Noah and turned him around, away from the door. I was hoping that meant more play time, but it actually meant a really long hug and lots of back pets for Friend Noah. 

After what seemed like a really long set of goodnight-pets, I could see Dad move to give Friend Noah a couple of kisses on his cheek. It reminded me of when Dad kisses me on my cheek or my nose when we snuggle on the couch or in bed on the weekend. I wondered if Friend Noah would like cheek kisses as much as I did? I always tried to turn my head and mouth kiss Dad when he did cheek kisses to me--but Dad always laughed and turned away pretty fast.

It looked like Friend Noah had the same idea to try for a mouth kiss! Maybe he would succeed. I watched as he turned his head toward Dad after the cheek kisses and he did it! He got Dad! He mouth kissed him right on the lips! Dad didn’t push him back or turn away, he actually mouth kissed him in return! I was happy for Friend Noah that Dad did mouth kisses with him.

After the mouth kisses they stayed in the doorway for a few more minutes, talking softly and still petting each other. I didn’t recognize any words, but the air felt warm and cozy and safe. I liked that feeling, and I liked seeing Dad and Friend Noah together, as well.


	4. Dan and Noah film the apartment scene in Meet the Parents… Redmond helps.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Redmond is on set and has a very important job to do!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The support that we have received for this furry fic has been wonderully overwhelming! Thank you to everyone who has read and commented and shared their favorite parts!

********************

It turns out that Thursday was an important day. Days like this didn’t happen very often, but when they did I knew that they were very important.

It started off like any other day… Like usual, I woke up first and waited for Mariah the Goddess to sing and wake up Dad. While he took his standing bath, I made my lap around the apartment to make sure everything still looked and smelled the way it was supposed to. And then I checked-in with Narwhal and Hedgie ( _of course)_.

On a regular day, once dad is dressed he makes sure I have enough water in my bowl. On those days, I know that he is the only one being called to work. On an important day, he picks out a Safety Scarf for me to wear. On the days when I wear my Scarf, we are both being called to work. And on Thursday--on Thursday we BOTH were being called to work!

Working days are GREAT days! We have different jobs to do when we get to set, and we don’t always get to spend a ton of time together, but hey… that’s work, right? It’s my job to check-in with everyone and bring smiles to their faces! Which is really the best job in the entire world. 

When Dad and I go to work together, Sister Annie and Sister Emily always tell Dad that I love them more. _I do love them both so much._ I always play along because I know it makes them happy, but Dad knows he’s my favorite. 

Well, Dad and Dad Noah are my favorites. When the three of us are together, I get everything I love best--the best scratches from them both, lots of Chase-the-Narwhal from Dad Noah, and such epic Sleep Snuggles from Dad. I'm glad that I don’t have to wait for working days for the three of us to be together. Dad Noah comes over to our house all the time these days! 

I bet Grandpa would be at work, too! He is the best at sneaking me people food when Dad isn’t looking. And Mama Catherine was probably going to be there. Her scratches are the best because of her extra long fingernails. Sometimes I didn’t recognize Mama Catherine since her head fur was different colors and shapes. But those scratchy pets were unmistakable!

No matter who was there, though, I was going to be ready to do my very important job!

******

That Thursday morning car ride with Dad was the BEST! The wind was in my ears, Dad and I were listening to Mariah the Goddess, and we were only a few hydrants away from the place with the Puppiccinos! I loved it the most when it was just the two of us in the car, because I got to sit in the chair with the most windows and I got to be right next to Dad. When we stopped on the road to let the other cars move, Dad would give me quick pets. But when we were moving, I knew he had to use both of his petting hands to make sure our car stayed on the road. 

With my Puppiccino ordered and consumed in record speed and our car safely parked in Dad’s spot at work, we were ready to get started on our day. 

There weren’t a lot of the usual people at work that day. I definitely missed seeing Sister Annie and Sister Emily, and I had really been looking forward to those scratchy pets from Mama Catherine. But I still got to jump around with Grandpa, and he snuck me some salami and pepperoni from the food room! I also got to see Dad Noah, but I didn’t get to spend much time with him before he and Dad went off to work together. 

I was lying on my bed in the office, the one that had my very important name tag above it, when Grandpa came by and asked if I wanted to go for a walk with him? _Of course I did!_ I did my run-in-circles-joyful-bark and gave some pre-walk kisses to show him how excited I was! We didn’t go outside on our walk, but we did go into a room with lots of other people I didn’t really recognize… and my two favorite people ever!

Dad and Dad Noah were both acting very serious, sitting on the couch in Dad Noah’s fake room, and reading from the script together. Dad kept petting Dad Noah’s shoulders like he did at home when we were watching movies together on the couch. And every once in awhile, Dad would make a sad face and look at Dad Noah. Dad would give him head kisses, but not any mouth kisses. It seemed like my two favorite people were the ones that needed my help the most today; they definitely needed to smile more! And I knew exactly what to do to bring smiles to each of their faces.

When there was an eating break, Dad Noah and I took his food into Dad’s work room. Luckily, Dad stores a back-up Narwhal in there, because that is EXACTLY what I needed to make Dad Noah smile. Even though I knew I had to do my job, I got distracted by all the yummy people food on Dad Noah’s plate. I’d seen Dad Noah talking to Grandpa, so I knew there was a chance that Grandpa taught him how much I love people food. Sure enough, after staring at him for a very long time, Dad Noah shared his people food with me!

Feeling nourished and thankful, I was ready to surprise Dad Noah with the back-up Narwhal. And oh-puppy, was he surprised!! We played Chase-the-Narwhal for the rest of Dad Noah’s eating break, and he smiled and laughed so much! When I wasn’t chasing the Narwhal, I was getting pets or giving kisses, and Dad Noah was smiling the whole time. _I am really good at my job._

During a particularly rousing round of pets and kisses, Dad walked into his work room looking really tired, but he was excited to see me and Dad Noah. Dad sat on the couch with us, he scratched behind my ears, and then Dad and Dad Noah gave each other mouth kisses. Lots and lots of mouth kisses. I didn’t mind them giving each other mouth kisses. I mean…they didn’t let _me_ give them any, but that was okay. 

What I didn’t like was when Dad’s hand gave Dad Noah pets on his legs or forearms instead of my belly. _Luckily, Dad Noah always kept the pets going._ But if that ever changed, I would have interrupted the mouth kissing and reminded Dad that my pets are very important!

When Dad and Dad Noah were panting too much to continue the mouth kissing _,_ Dad _finally_ started giving me the really-lazy pets, which meant that a Sleep Snuggle was about to happen. Dad Noah had to go back to work, but he smiled at Dad, and then he smiled at me and gave me scratches on my nose, so I knew that I had done my job for him!

Now it was just me and Dad on the couch and it was time for me to get back to work. I jumped down for just a moment to give Dad space to wiggle around. Once he was in perfect Sleep Snuggle position, I jumped back up and curled up with him, right in front of his hands so that he would be able to hold me close. 

Dad didn’t need to get any of his soft blankets out today--he had me to keep him warm and cozy and smiling. _I really am very good at my job._

  
  
  
  



	5. Dan and Noah Vacation in Tuscany… Eugene and Deb help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This summer was different. And not in a bad way. Time for a vacation!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends, NeelyO here! 
> 
> I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone for the wonderful kudos and comments. It has been such fun sharing this story with all of you. My biggest thanks of all go to DisgruntledPelican, my friend and collaborator along the way. I never would have been brave enough to conceive and outline this story, let alone write my sections, without you, DP!! You have made everything better!

We usually work in the summer, which is such a bummer because it’s a perfect time for squirrel-watching. But I get it--Dad and I have very important jobs even after filming finishes and all the sets are closed. We have a lot of “editing” and “mixing” to do. Well, that’s his job. I provide check-ins and smiles to Dad, Tall Amy, and anyone else at work, just like I do during filming.

This summer was different, though. And not in a bad way. For the first time I could remember, I got a summer vacation! At Grandma and Grandpa’s house! I could not believe my luck. Grandma and Grandpa were the most fun and there was always so much happening. But it was so different than working!

Every morning that I was with them, Grandma and Grandpa took me for a long walk. After pre-walk kisses and putting on the special purple Safety Scarf I get to wear only at their house, we headed out. They both love looking for squirrels, and we never seem to have to “hurry back” or take “only one more minute.” The smell of flowers and fresh squirrel-scented summer air never faded as we made our way around their neighborhood and then progressively around all the surrounding neighborhoods. I got to know lots of neighbors and their tiny humans and dogs. Even though I made everyone we met smile, it never felt like work. There were even other short-legged dogs like me, named Beezus and Mr. P. We had a great time wrestling together whenever we met up.

After our morning walks, Grandma and Grandpa always had things to do. But since I was on vacation, I was able to just relax in one of my beds nearby. I liked picking whichever one of my beds seemed most likely to provide pets. A lot of times that was next to Grandpa, because he’d be sitting in his recliner reading and talking on the phone. That always left a hand available to hang over the side and pet me. 

Sometimes, though, it was really important to be in my bed near the kitchen. Grandma was careful about the treats she gave _(Eugene, salami is not good for him)_ but when she was baking an apple pie? Those slices of apple were heavenly! She would have me _sit_ and _shake_ and _down_ and I would get a slice for every trick I did. And those were such easy tricks--she never made me do the hard tricks like _stay_ or _roll over_! 

Whenever Grandma worked on her scrapbooks at the table, I always sat on her feet to keep them warm. That always brought a smile to her face and I really liked it, too. She would show me pages she was working on, and I recognized Dad and Auntie in almost all the pictures! Sometimes she and Grandpa were in the pictures, too, all dressed up and fancy-looking. They never looked that way during summer vacation. It was all jeans and soft shirts while I was there.

One morning we got up a lot earlier than we normally did. I could smell the excitement in the air, but I had no clue what was going on. That was ok, since there were THREE squirrels in the yard and I was having to track all of their movements at the same time. I thought for awhile that Grandpa was talking to Sister Emily on the phone, or maybe he was talking about her with lots of different people, because I kept hearing “Emmy, Emmy.” But it wasn’t ever actually her, so I was able to keep tracking the squirrels.

Suddenly, though, I heard Dad’s voice. DAD!! **DAD!!!!** I started barking and looking all around. Was he hiding?! I couldn’t find him! 

Grandpa put his tablet down by my nose and I could hear Dad’s voice clearly. AND DAD NOAH’S VOICE!! OH WOW, OH PUPPY! If I looked carefully I saw lots of green and movement on the screen and it seemed like it was video of Dad and Dad Noah but they were talking to **ME** ! And saying **HI**! And that they loved me! They both sounded very excited and happy and I BARKED, then I did several run-in-circles-joyful barks, before jumping up on Grandma since Dad and Dad Noah were so happy! 

After that day, we went back to our vacation schedule of walk-nap-repeat. Every week we also drove in the car to the closest Farmer’s Market, and since Grandma said that _berries have a lot of fiber_ , Grandpa gave me as many as I wanted! We also went to play at both the outdoor park AND the indoor park! And at the outdoor park Beezus and Mr. P and I got to spend all the time we wanted hunting squirrels. Beezus was the smallest of us but she had the very best nose and we made sure to always stick close when she caught a good smell.

We had a really nice vacation routine going until one afternoon when I was tossing my Narwhal in the living room and heard the back door open and I could smell… 

I _WOOFED WITH JOY_ and scrabbled across the floor, abandoning my Narwhal, and launched myself full-speed at Dad. DAD!! **DAD!!!!!** And Dad Noah! **DAD NOAH!!!** They were both here! So many squirrels to tell them about! So many apple pies to discuss! Maybe they would want to meet Beezus and Mr. P! **BUT FIRST PETS AND KISSES!!!!!**

Both Dad and Dad Noah showered me with kisses and pets and scratches and Dad Noah immediately threw my Narwhal and Hedgie when I broke away and brought them over. They were both laughing and relaxed (and their cheeks were a little more red than usual), and they seemed to not have any cares. Vacation had been so good for all of us!

Driving home after saying goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa _(I got two final apple slices before I left)_ was a special occasion. I got to sit on Dad’s lap in the chair with the most windows while Dad Noah was driving! This never happened and was a _safety risk_ (according to Dad) but I was soooo happy he was breaking the rules _just this one time_ (according to Dad Noah). I was able to give Dad so many cheek kisses during the drive!

Once we got home I had to do a full circuit investigation of every room. We hadn’t been here in so long, and I knew Dad and Dad Noah would want me to be sure everything was in place and where we left it before vacation. I also needed to get Hedgie and Narwhal reacclimated after being away. Luckily, everything seemed to be in order, so we were all able to sit down on the deck before too long. 

Dad and Dad Noah had their fun drinks, and Dad Noah gave me a Bully Stick. _Never change, Dad Noah, never change._ As I chewed and listened to my Dads, I could tell they were talking about their vacation. I didn’t know all the words, and I wasn’t sure that “Italy” was as much fun as Grandma and Grandpa’s house, but I could smell the happiness. I could smell the closeness between them. Dad reached over from his deck chair and grabbed Dad Noah’s hand, and they played with each others fingers. It was a game they did often and it made them smile every time.

Eventually Dad Noah laughed and got up to sit in Dad’s lap. I never felt even a little bit jealous anymore when that happened. I had discovered that Dad’s lap was big enough for Dad Noah and also for me--well, not at the same time, of course! I tried to get on Dad’s lap with Dad Noah one time (since we both love his lap so much), but there was no way for us both to fit together! So now we take turns and that works out fine. 

I also discovered that lap sitting always led to mouth kisses (and even neck kisses) for Dad and Dad Noah. They both really liked all the different kinds of kisses! I won’t ever stop trying to get a mouth kiss from Dad, but he definitely gets plenty of them from Dad Noah.

Other things I’ve discovered spending time with Dad and Dad Noah? Well, let’s see. Sleep Snuggles during the day are always refreshing. Hedgie and my Narwhal always get along and aren’t jealous of each other when Dad Noah and I play. Having work that you love and believe in _and that you are good at_ is really important. Keeping everyone you love safe is a _top priority_ (I learned that from Dad). And you can _never_ have too many smiles or too much laughter.

Finally, I discovered that with Dad Noah in our lives, Dad had even more love and pets to give then he did before. And that is saying something, because he was a 10/10 at both pets and love long before we even met Dad Noah!


	6. Dan and Noah have a relaxing day at home... Redmond helps.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Noah spend some time relaxing after several fun, but tiring events! And, of course, Redmond is there with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note - rating has been bumped to T for this chapter.
> 
> This is the +1 chapter of The Redmond Chronicles. 
> 
> If we're truth-telling, it was pretty difficult to jump back into Human POV after spending so much time in the wonderful world of Redmond POV. With all of the love that our Redmond POV received, Neely and I debated sticking with Redmond POV for this last chapter. But, ultimately, what we set out to write included a chapter from Redmond's favorite humans, and we wanted our readers to have that, as well!
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the love you've shown to this fic!

Between the Emmy parties, the actual Emmys themselves, and then the GLAAD Gala, Dan and Noah were both thoroughly exhausted and in desperate need of some time just for themselves. 

Their flight into Toronto landed a little after midnight, and Dan had arranged for a car to meet them and take them both back to his place.

“It’s nice to be almost-home,” Noah whispered to Dan in the backseat, where they sat close to one another, trying to stay awake until they could sleep properly in a bed. 

Dan slipped his hand into Noah’s, and rested his head on Noah’s shoulder. 

“Mmm. It’s also nice to not have anywhere to go tomorrow,” Dan agreed. He let out a deep breath and leaned more of his body into Noah’s, seeking the contact.

He continued his sleepy reply, “These past few days—weeks—have been a lot. In the best way. But still, a lot. I’m happy you were with me. But, I’m still really happy to be home. Almost-home. I miss my bed,” he nearly whined.

“Mm. I miss your bed, too.”

“I can’t wait to just lay around all day with you and Red tomorrow. Those are the best days.”

“When is Red coming home?”

“So that’s a little surprise I have for you. Red was dropped off earlier tonight—he’s waiting on us.” Dan lifted his head to see Noah’s face and was delighted to find a wide grin and gentle, sleepy eyes peering back at him. 

“Ahhh. Good! I missed him! I know you did, too.”

A few minutes later and their car had parked outside Dan’s apartment building. Luggage in hand, they made their way into the building and up to Dan’s apartment. When Dan entered, he could hear little toenails on the floor, the tell-tale sign of his best friend excitedly making his way to him! Redmond was barking and running in circles. Like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kiss them, jump up on them, or just bark with enthusiasm.

Dan and Noah both abandoned their luggage at the front door and led Redmond to the couch. They arranged themselves side by side with Redmond between them so they could both shower him with all sorts of love and attention! 

It was clear to Dan and Noah that Redmond needed this attention. Hilariously, Redmond didn’t know who we wanted attention from more. Dan was able to take breaks from petting Redmond only when he was distracted by his Narwhal toy being thrown across the room by Noah. And Noah could take breaks from fetch when Dan was stealing some snuggles. They were both exhausted and appreciated being able to tag team the fun.

Eventually, Dan, Noah, and Redmond made their way into the bedroom and readied themselves for bed. Dan and Noah changed out of their travel clothes. Noah knew Dan would need to take a shower before he’d be able to sleep soundly. So Noah took advantage of the alone time with Red to throw his Hedgehog and wait for Redmond to come bounding back with it securely in his mouth. They got several good rounds in before Dan came out of the bathroom and Redmond’s attention was effectively off of the Hedgehog and on to getting as close to Dan as possible… Noah had the same idea.

It wasn’t long before they were all lying comfortably in bed. Noah’s chest pressed against Dan’s back, his arm around Dan’s waist, their legs entwined, their bodies fitting into each other’s space perfectly. And Redmond curled up in front of Dan, stealing some late night scratches before Dan finally fell asleep.

********************

“You know, I think he may like you more than he likes me. I’m not sure how I feel about that.” Dan spoke with a smile into the space between himself and Noah, as they lay in bed the following morning. The space that was also being partially occupied by Redmond, whose back was snuggled into Dan’s chest, and whose face was sporadically licking Noah’s cheeks, ears, and making valiant attempts to lick his mouth.

“Aw Daniel, are you jealous?” Noah replied between wet Redmond kisses.

“I’m just saying, he acts like you’re the one who rescued him all those years ago!”

“He knows you rescued him—you remind us both anytime you want our attention. I just have a certain… appeal to me. He likes me! You’ll be okay.” Noah smirked, knowing full well that the _appeal_ he had was due to the smell of the Bully Sticks that he’d bought in bulk from Costco at the beginning of their relationship and kept in his pockets whenever he was going to be around Redmond.

“Fine. Since you both love each other so much, you can take him on his morning walk today while I order breakfast from bed,” Dan countered. They both knew that taking Redmond for a walk wasn’t a chore, but Dan knew that Noah would enjoy being outdoors this morning more than he would, and Redmond would enjoy the extra squirrel-related enthusiasm, while Dan would be able to order breakfast much more quickly without the added distraction of his two favorites in bed with him.

“Gladly,” Noah replied as he leaned over and pressed his lips to Dan’s. Noah got up from the bed, got dressed, and after Red calmed down from hearing the word “walk,” got Red’s leash on. Noah and Red took turns giving Dan goodbye kisses, then they were out the door. 

********************

Dan and Noah loved their days off together. Sure, they were few and far between, but they’d learned to really make the best of them. 

Once Noah and Red returned from their walk and breakfast was consumed, everyone resumed their favorite positions on the couch—Dan tucked into Noah’s side, one hand resting on his thigh, Noah’s arm draped over Dan’s shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into the spots where Dan carried the most stress, and Redmond never far away. He alternated between finding the sun peeking in through the back windows, and sidling in close to Dan or Noah, who each kept a hand available for giving scratches.

Recently, Dan had noticed that Red seemed to want to be closer to Noah. He didn’t mind—he knew Red was in good hands any time he was with Noah. 

During a particularly rambunctious round of Hedgehog throwing, Dan returned to the discussion from earlier that day, asking “So, _do_ you think he has a favorite between us?” 

“Obviously.” Noah smirked in reply as he picked up the toy and threw it again for Redmond to chase after.

“Yes, obviously. Me,” Dan quickly said. “You know, the one who feeds him, gives him water, _rescued him_ , scratches his belly…”

“Pretty sure his favorite is the one who takes him on long walks, shows interest in his squirrels, and gives him Bully Sticks when you’re not looking,” Noah interrupted with a grin, just as Red came sprinting back into the room after retrieving the thrown toy.

“You bribe my dog?!” Dan said, as he lifted his head off of the couch and faked incredulity.

“Is it bribing to reward him for being ridiculously cute?” Noah responded to Dan as he slipped his hands behind Redmond’s ears, momentarily pausing their game of fetch to scratch Redmond behind his ears. Dan’s lopsided smile took over his face as he leaned over and stretched out his hand to get in on the snuggles with Redmond, not wanting to be outdone by Noah, and not being able to pass up an opportunity to show Redmond some much-deserved affection. 

“I feel like that’s not bribing, Noah continued, “I mean, I reward you for being cute… does _that_ also count as bribing?” 

“How exactly do you reward me for being cute?” Dan was pretty sure he knew where this was headed, and he was eager to get there.

Noah quirked an eye at Dan. He tossed the Hedgehog to the side, gave Red a pat on the head, and made his way into Dan’s space on the couch.

“If you don’t like your rewards, Daniel, I can stop giving them to you?”

“I mean… I don’t think I said that,” Dan countered, as Noah placed his hands on Dan’s thighs, slowly inching up towards his hips.

Noah leaned closer, “Good, Daniel. Because you’re really cute, and I really like rewarding you.” Noah’s lips met Dan’s. Soft at first, just the familiar brush of lips against lips. But Noah wanted more. He steadied his hands against Dan’s hips and moved his legs to straddle Dan on the couch. Noah’s hands cupped Dan’s neck as his ass settled into his lap. Dan let out a breathy moan at the contact, and Noah’s tongue was insistent in Dan’s mouth. Noah rocked on Dan’s lap as his lips and tongue continued to bring those gorgeous noises from Dan. 

Dan tugged at the hem of Noah’s shirt, making contact with the soft skin of Noah’s belly, when they were interrupted by a rare, and very loud, bark from Redmond. 

Dan was immediately distracted by the sound. Noah moved himself off of Dan’s lap and situated himself on the couch, a bit uncomfortably at first due to _circumstances_. As soon as Noah had moved, Redmond was up and positioning himself between Dan and Noah, looking between the two with an open mouth and wagging tail. Noah gave a sideways look, and both of them couldn’t help but laugh at the quick turn of events.

Dan quickly settled his hands on Redmond’s long back, running them up and down the brownish-orange fur. Dan patted his lap where Noah had been moments ago, giving Redmond the invitation for closer snuggles. Redmond didn’t hesitate to situate himself comfortably.

“Well, I guess this settles who he likes more,” Dan quirked his mouth to the side as he continued giving slow, soft pets behind Redmond’s ears. 

“I mean… you do have a great lap, Daniel. I don’t mind taking turns with Red.”

“Mm... seems like you mind a little... Right now?”

“I just wish Red could talk to us, that would make things so much easier!”

Dan sat up on the couch, his eyebrows knit together like they did when he was contemplating a major show decision. “Noah, if this dog could talk, I would literally not need any other friends. It’s probably best for all involved that he doesn’t talk!” 

“I’m pretty sure all of your friends would still come over, if only to talk to Red. That’s why we all come over in the first place, actually,” Noah deadpanned as he patted the couch, coaxing Redmond into the space between him and Dan.

With Redmond between them, smiles spread wide across their faces, Dan willingly conceded, “God, you’re right, he is absolutely the best damn dog!”

  
  



End file.
